It’s pretty much a given that if you want a new Aston Martin, you’d better save your pennies. But starting this fall, you’ll need to save considerably fewer of them, as Aston Martin is introducing the new V8 Vantage GT for “just” $102,725 for the coupe, and $117,225 for the roadster. That’s $18,500 and $18,000 cheaper than the standard V8 Vantage coupe and roadster models. Such a deal!

It actually is a bit of a deal, at least by Aston Martin standards. Let us explain: first, it looks appropriately bad-ass in any of its five festive liveries—Alloro Green with white, Jet Black with silver, Skyfall Silver with anthracite, Mariana Blue with silver, and Speedway White with silver. Roadster models come exclusively with a black fabric top, while Vantage S side sills, black exterior trim (on the headlamp bezels, window trim, hood vent meshwork, and tailpipes), clear-lens taillamps, and dark-painted, diamond-turned 19-inch wheels render all V8 Vantage GTs sufficiently accessorized. Inside, the leather-lined interior comes in black or gray, with yellow, black, gray, or red accents, piano black trim, sport seats like those in the V12 Vantage, a navigation system, GT sill plaques and seat embroidery, and one of Aston’s famous glass keys.

Second, the V8 Vantage’s 4.7-liter, quad-cam dry-sump V-8 was not detuned for use in the new GT models—quite the contrary, actually: with 430 horsepower at 7300 rpm and 361 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm, the engine arrives in the same state of tune as the $133,525 Vantage S, not the 420 horses and 346 lb-ft of the standard model. (See, told ya it was a deal!) The standard transmission remains Aston’s lovely six-speed manual, while its seven-speed single-clutch SportShift II automated manual is optional. It rides on a sport suspension tuned closely to that of the Vantage S.

In our previous experience with the V8 Vantage, the SportShift II is worth skipping, especially if you want to add interior niceties like, say, heated seats, cruise control, an auto-dimming mirror with garage-door opener, Bluetooth, a satellite radio, memory seats, and other things you might expect would come standard on any six-figure car. Or you can put the money toward one of Aston’s striking painted graphics packs that add a contrasting color to the mirror caps, A-pillars, and grille surround, with the choices being blue/red, black/gray, white/red, silver/white, and classic green/yellow. Or you can add a whomping 1000-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, carbon-fiber exterior trim, a trunk-mounted umbrella, or . . . whatever, there’s a long list.

The elephant in the room, of course, is that as sweet as it is, the V8 Vantage is a 10-year-old car, one that has undergone relatively few changes since its launch. With newfound competition from such spectacular cars as the Jaguar F-Type, Aston needs a model like the more focused GT to keep the car on buyers’ collective radar. The fact that it’s a bit more attainably priced is icing on this very sweet cake.

Aston Martin is opening up a new world of exhilarating driving excitement with the announcement of the hotly anticipated V12 Vantage S Roadster.

When it arrives in markets around the world later this year the new sports car will become the luxury British marque’s most potent, fastest and fastest-accelerating series production roadster to date and follows in the broad tyre tracks of the V12 Vantage S Coupe that was launched to worldwide acclaim in 2013.

Providing the most visceral yet engaging open-top experience in Aston Martin’s current range, the new V12 Vantage S Roadster delivers characteristic sporting agility underpinned by an enviable sports ‘soundtrack’ generated by its naturally aspirated V12 engine and expertly-tuned sports exhaust.

Equipped with the latest 565 bhp (573 PS) Aston Martin AM28 6.0-litre V12 engine, featuring state-of-the-art Bosch engine management, the car is capable of reaching 201 mph and sprinting from rest to 60 mph in only 3.9 seconds (0-100km/h 4.1 seconds).

Peak and low rev torque is delivered in abundance. With 620 Nm available at 5,750 rpm the V12 Vantage S Roadster is not to be found wanting in this vital department. Crucially, too, low rev torque – measured from just 1,000 rpm – starts at a colossal 510 Nm. Together, these statistics demonstrate the Aston Martin engineers’ ability to create a ‘flatter’, yet ‘fatter’, torque curve which supports exceptional driveability and strong pick-up through the gears.

Aston Martin Director of Design, Marek Reichman, said: “The V12 Vantage S Roadster is the mechanical embodiment of our company’s exceptional spirit.

“Beautiful, powerful and spirited it is as spectacular to listen to as it is to look at. The new roadster is truly a treat for the senses with, underlying all this, the capacity to deliver one of the most dynamic, exciting and stirring driving experiences in our current range.

“I’m sure the V12 Vantage S Roadster will appeal to luxury sports car enthusiasts worldwide who want to add a truly exceptional new model to their garage.”

Race car technology

As with its coupe sibling, race car technology runs right through the DNA of the V12 Vantage S Roadster with, for instance, CNC machined combustion chambers and hollow camshafts just two examples of track technology feeding through to the road.

Another clear example is the new car’s Sportshift™III 7-speed transmission. Engineered to exploit the full sporting potential of the V12 engine, the latest generation Sportshift™III hydraulically actuated automated manual transmission provides motorsport-style paddle shift changes for optimum performance delivery. The unit, which replaces the six-speed manual gearbox found in the previous V12 Vantage Roadster, is also appreciably lighter – saving 20 kg versus its forebear.

This race-derived and motorsport-proven technology – used routinely in Aston Martin Racing’s race-winning Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE competition cars – provides for great driver control with only milliseconds of torque interruption and delivers precise and swift gear changes.

The Sportshift™III transaxle, developed in conjunction with transmission experts Oerlikon Graziano, joins an extensive array of new sport and track-focused developments that ensure the V12 Vantage S Roadster is fully equipped to exploit the huge performance potential of its 6.0-litre naturally aspirated engine.

The use of three-stage adaptive damping, allied to three-stage DSC and two-stage ABS, allows the driver to more precisely tailor the car’s dynamic character. ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’ modes provide a broad swathe of dynamic performance that can be tuned to better suit the driver’s requirements. The system also governs the level of power steering assistance offered.

Working alongside the extended chassis capabilities is a ‘Sport’ mode, controlled via a button on the centre console, that alters throttle response, gearshift speed and timing, and exhaust note to, once again, tune the character of the car to the driver’s requirements.

Optimum braking performance is delivered via the specially-created carbon ceramic discs all round, with near-identical brakes appearing on the brand’s ultimate GT, the Vanquish. Meanwhile a whole new lightweight exhaust system – derived from that of Aston Martin’s most expensive and exclusive production model, the One-77 hypercar – is wonderfully sonorous.

The ZF Servotronic power assisted steering offers a quick, slick, 15:1 ratio and, linked to the adaptive damping button, provides two-mode steering assistance designed to best match the ‘Sport’ or ‘Normal’ settings generated by the Adaptive Damping System.

Pure power, beautifully presented

As Aston Martin’s most overtly sporting convertible, with an even more dynamic character than the luxurious Vanquish Volante ultimate GT or refined DB9 Volante, the V12 Vantage S Roadster has been styled to reflect is position as the flagship convertible in the Vantage family.

In keeping with the V12 Vantage S Coupe, the Roadster replaces the famous aluminium vanes in the Aston Martin grille – with a carbon fibre arrangement that also includes sporty black or titanium silver mesh. Created to maximise airflow to the V12 engine, the new grille is inspired by both the remarkable CC100 Speedster Concept and the Vantage race cars.

Other distinguishing features of the V12 Vantage S Roadster include the option of lightweight forged alloy ten-spoke wheels.

The new Roadster retains the same compact proportions of its predecessor while features such as the pronounced bonnet louvres, optional bold graphics (painted carbon front grille, front grille lipstick and tailgate panel) as well as the exterior carbon pack and flared wheel arches underscore its sporting abilities.

Inside, as out, the new car has been styled to reflect its powerful nature. New-style seat trim and door trims, with Sport and carbon fibre lightweight seat options – present V12 Vantage S Roadster buyers with an exciting array of choices.

The optional Interior Carbon Pack, which adds carbon fibre to the car’s facia and door pulls, plus the availability for the first time in a V12 Vantage S Roadster of black pedals, further enhances personalisation options for those in search of a truly bespoke sports car.

Q by Aston Martin

Meanwhile, For V12 Vantage S Roadster, the company is introducing a Q by Aston Martin Collection which comprises bespoke features that are entirely in keeping with the character of the car.

For V12 Vantage S Roadster this includes a palette of bold exterior and interior colours; body coloured carbon bonnet louvres; a red tint or satin finish to the carbon fibre elements on the exterior and interior of the car; a full carbon fibre centre console, black anodised and machined rotary controls and a steering wheel with a leather on-centre stripe in the chosen interior accent colour.

Marek Reichman added: “The new V12 Vantage S Roadster not only looks the part, but has been engineered and built to showcase the ethos of Aston Martin: power, beauty and soul.

“We believe that it is a truly exceptional sports car, with the capacity to set pulses racing just by its sound alone. The authentic appeal of its style, performance, quality and craftsmanship ensure its stands head and shoulders above others in its sector and delivers that most precious of experiences – fun – in abundance!”

The new Vulcan supercar isn’t the only surprise Aston Martin has in store for the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Today, the British automaker revealed its new Vantage GT3 road car, which will be shown in public for the first time at the upcoming Swiss show. Unfortunately, it's also been confirmed that the vehicle won't be offered in North America or China.

The Vantage GT3 is based on the race car of the same name, which has been competing in the World Endurance Championship and other endurance events over the past couple of years, going up against similar spec cars from the likes of Porsche, Ferrari and more recently Chevrolet and Dodge. Like the racer, the road-going Vantage GT3 sports a V-12 engine, in this case the automaker’s familiar 6.0-liter lump.

Peak output registers at 591 horsepower and combined with an estimated curb weight of 3,450 pounds for the Vantage GT3—or about 220 lbs less than the V12 Vantage S—should make this particular Aston the quickest in the pack. As a guide, the heavier and less powerful V12 Vantage S will do 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 205 mph.

Some of the weight-saving mods—either standard or available—include the use of carbon fiber in the construction, the addition of a magnesium torque tube, a full titanium exhaust system, a lithium-ion battery, polycarbonate windows (rear and rear quarter), and a few deleted options from the cabin. Also in the cabin, owners will also be able to benefit from Alcantara trim, race-derived carbon fiber sports seats and touch-sensitive controls.

To aid handling, the engineers have widened the track, added Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires and installed a new aerodynamics package aimed at boosting downforce. Key elements of the aerodynamics package are the rear wing and pronounced front splitter.

Sadly, just 100 examples of this beauty will be built and as mentioned above none will be coming here. Potential rivals include the Ferrari’s 458 Speciale, Porsche 911 GT3 and—to a lesser extent—the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Dodge Viper SRT TA.

Aston Martin is today revealing the first details of its most potent and uncompromising Vantage to date: the track-inspired Vantage GT3 special edition.

With production strictly limited to just 100 examples, the new model combines all of Aston Martin’s learning from its years of sports car competition around the globe to produce its most performance focused road-going Vantage.

Equipped with a new iteration of the brand’s 6.0-litre V12 engine which is capable of generating up to 600 PS1, the car weighs in at 100kg less than a standard V12 Vantage S.

Comprehensively re-engineered, as well as significantly restyled, the GT3-inspired special edition is lower and wider than any of its siblings in the Vantage family. A broader track – front and rear – brings even more composed cornering thanks to a reduction in lateral load transfer, while the use of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres provides even more assured handling.

Thoroughly equipped with cutting edge motorsport-inspired features, from the extensive use of carbon fibre inside and out to the track-focused aerodynamics pack – which includes a prominent rear wing and pronounced front splitter – the race-derived new Vantage brings more focused and uncompromising capability and styling to a road-going Aston Martin.

The aerodynamics package in particular has a profound effect, producing significant downforce to provide even greater levels of grip and stability at higher speeds.

Inspired by Aston Martin Racing’s successful campaigns, this new GT3-derived Vantage has been designed and engineered exclusively at Aston Martin’s Gaydon Headquarters in Warwickshire, England, to be the most overt expression of everything that defines Vantage: an inspirational sports model offering supreme driveability on the road, and uncompromising dynamic performance on track.

New flared carbon fibre front wings, carbon fibre bonnet, a lithium ion race-derived battery, carbon-fibre door casings, optional carbon fibre roof, optional weight-saving polycarbonate rear window and rear quarter windows are just a few of the measures which illustrate the engineers’ determination to eliminate mass wherever possible. That determination has paid off, too, as the new car weighs in at only 1,565 kg2.

Under the skin lie a number of bespoke engineering upgrades, aside from the new 600 PS1 V12 engine. Magnesium inlet manifolds with revised geometry, a lightweight magnesium torque tube and a full titanium exhaust system with centre outlets are just a few of the features that underline the rigorous re-engineering of this exclusive new Vantage.

The car’s interior is comprehensively reworked, too, with a full carbon fibre centre stack and touch-sensitive control array; race-derived carbon fibre sports seats; Alcantara trim and the option of numerous bespoke features courtesy of the brand’s popular personalisation service: Q by Aston Martin.

Announcing the arrival of the Vantage GT3 special edition, Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “Motorsport is in our blood at Aston Martin. The Vantage is the car we campaign in top level sports car racing around the world and so it seems only fitting that we offer an exclusive, limited edition Vantage that expertly fuses our motorsport know-how with our road car prowess.”

He added: “The Vantage GT3 special edition is an uncompromising example of our design and engineering expertise and I’m sure the 100 owners who secure one of these cars will savour every second behind the wheel; whether on the road or on the track.”

The Vantage GT3 special edition will make its public debut on 3 March at the 85th Geneva International Motor Show (Hall 5, Stand 5253), with first customer deliveries beginning in the third quarter of 2015.

Last year Aston Martin launched a hardcore version of its Vantage sports car closely aligned with the V-12-powered Vantage GT3 race car.

It was called the Vantage GT12 and unfortunately was never offered in the United States.

A new, completely redesigned Vantage is coming next year, but before it arrives Aston Martin will send out the current model with another hardcore, limited edition model. This one will be called the Vantage GT8, and as its name suggests it be will be aligned with the V-8-powered Vantage GTE race car.

The car is expected to be benefit from a series of weight-saving measures including carbon fiber body panels and a stripped-out cabin. Power will come from the familiar 4.7-liter engine fitted to all V-8 versions of the Vantage. Both manual and automatic transmissions are expected to be on offer.

Production will be limited. Aston Martin only built 100 examples of the Vantage GT12 and we can expect a similar small number for the Vantage GT8.

Racing is in Aston Martin’s blood. From outright victory at Le Mans 24 Hours in 1959, to countless race wins in GT3 and GT4 categories and a continued race and title-winning form in the production-based GTE category of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Aston Martin is proud to be at the forefront of GT racing.

All Aston Martin road cars possess some of that sporting DNA, but the luxury brand’s most extreme models draw directly from that knowledge and passion to deliver something altogether more overt in looks and ability. The new Vantage GT8 is just that.

Director of Special Projects and Motorsport, David King said: “We long held the desire to create a road car that truly reflects our racing activity at Le Mans. With the Vantage GT8, we’ve finally been able to achieve that. By focusing on weight savings and aerodynamics, we’ve taken the V8 Vantage to an entirely different level of agility and aggression. It’s a hugely exciting car honed to the keenest possible edge.”

Inspired and influenced by the 2016 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE race car, the Vantage GT8 is a true thoroughbred. The lightest and most powerful V8 Vantage ever, the Vantage GT8’s dramatically sculpted carbon fibre bodywork has been shaped by race-bred aerodynamic function. With a super-sharp chassis tuned for track-focused agility, powered by a revised 446PS1 version of Aston Martin’s rousing 4.7-litre V8 and available with a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed SportshiftTM II paddle-shift transmissions, the Vantage GT8 has unmistakable style, a no-nonsense stance and a driving experience that’s second to none.

From nose to tail the motorsport inspired special edition is every inch the road racer. Wide-bodied with aerodynamics that clearly take their lead from Aston Martin Racing’s WEC contender, it features extensive use of carbon fibre with the front splitter, front and rear bumpers, fenders, side sills and rear diffuser all fashioned from the lightweight material. One of the most striking standard features is the cutaway front wheelarch, which mimics that of the GTE racer. Those wishing for the most extreme aero configuration can specify the optional Aero Pack, which adds the large rear wing and additional corner elements to the front splitter.

The Vantage GT8 is further distinguished by a new 5-spoke alloy wheel, with ultra-lightweight seven-spoke centre-lock magnesium rims available as an option. Both standard and optional wheels are shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres for exceptional performance on-road and track. Three optional ‘Halo‘ paint schemes are available; striking combinations of China Grey and Blue, Stratus White and Green or Stirling Green and Lime that perfectly capture the Vantage GT8’s dynamic character and performance.

Improved performance through weight saving is central to the Vantage GT8. A standard-fit lithium ion battery sheds more vital kilos while further (optional) weight saving measures include a carbon fibre roof, polycarbonate rear screen and rear side windows and a titanium centre mounted exhaust. Together with the standard-fit lightweight carbon fibre sports seats (with manual adjustment, again to save weight) and carbon fibre door panels, this comprehensive suite of lightweight components saves up to 100kg, making the Vantage GT8 the lightest Vantage ever. Air-conditioning, a 160w audio system and Aston Martin’s latest AMi III infotainment system ensures it remains genuinely road-useable.

Announcing the introduction of the new Vantage GT8, Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “Road cars are our business, but racing is the beating heart of Aston Martin. The Vantage GT8 expresses that combination perfectly: an authentic and unashamedly extreme road car that draws directly from our Le Mans racing programme to amplify the inherent dynamism that has long made the Vantage such a fine sports car. Beautifully engineered and set-up to be equally at home on a fabulous road or a demanding race track, the Vantage GT8 is a driver’s car in the truest sense of the word.”

Appealing to collectors as well as pure driving enthusiasts, the Vantage GT8 will be strictly limited to just 150 examples. Recommended retail price starts from £165,000 and deliveries will commence in Q4 2016.

RBR Edition Vantages get special trim, but no slicks or wings. Boo

With this year’s F1 season a little over a month away, Aston Martin’s released a special Red Bull Racing Edition of its aging Vantage “equipped with a range of distinguishing features for the most devoted Formula One enthusiast”.

Disappointingly, the “features” of which they speak do not include slicks, wings or a highly turbocharged V6. Instead, buyers get special Mariana Blue paintwork (Tungsten Silver or a satin finish blue are optional), a carbon grille with red detailing and yellow brake calipers.

There’s also a carbon splitter, a diffuser, side strakes and interior trim inlays. The RBR logo is embroidered on the headrests, and buyers can opt to have their sill and final inspection plaques signed by either Daniel Ricciardo or Max Verstappen, who are said to have given the RBR Edition their “seal of approval”.

Available as either a V8 or V12 S, the RBR Edition is the work of Aston’s in-house personalisation service ‘Q By Aston Martin’. Certainly far from the worst F1-inspired special edition we’ve seen. Thoughts?

We've been expecting you: full details on Aston's twin-turbo, 503bhp V8 super coupe

“This is our dedicated sports car. It’s simple, pure energy, it’s a hunter. It has a flick in the tail and the lowest nose we’ve ever produced. If the DB11 is a samurai sword, this is a scalpel.”

That’s design director Marek Reichman giving us a hands-on intro to the new Aston Martin Vantage. He’s fully spooled up now, arms flying everywhere, his language getting more design-speak by the second. I’ve pressed the pause button here, on his sword/scalpel analogy, not to point and laugh at some marketing guff, but because in truth it’s rather key.

We are witnessing the rebirth of a company, one that’s emerging from a decade where its products overlapped and leaked into one another like layers on a sub-standard trifle. Shored up with new money and new management, there’s now an ambitious plan in place that, should it work, will deliver seven new standalone models (one every nine months) between now and 2021 – and that’s not counting derivatives and cherries like the Valkyrie and continuation DB4 GTs. The first of these seven pillars is the DB11, the Vantage is number two followed by new Vanquish, DBX, a mid-engined supercar, Lagonda 1 and Lagonda 2. In that order.

Success hinges on differentiation – creating clear daylight between each pillar, and that’s precisely what’s happening here. Seen any DB11s painted in Radioactive Lime recently? Didn’t think so. And the Vantage’s official launch colour is just the beginning of the changes that make this the Aston for people who enjoy the art of driving fast.

The bonded and riveted aluminium structure is, of course, descended from the DB11 – everything from the A-pillar forward is carried over untouched (new crash structures are prohibitively expensive to develop), but 70 per cent of the components are unique. A 280mm reduction in length is down to lopping out a section where the rear seats would be, while, unlike the plusher DB11, the rear axle sub-assembly ditches any rubber bushing and is solid-mounted to the chassis, sacrificing some refinement for more immediate reactions.

At 1,530kg dry, it’s 170kg lighter than a DB11, but, to be fair, that’s not saying much. More telling is that it’s a few kilos heavier than a 4WD Porsche 911 Turbo (Porsche quotes 1,595kg, but that’s with all its fluids on board, which weigh well over 100kg). Expect the kerbweight to lighten up a bit in a year’s time, though: that’s when you’ll have the option of substituting the eight-speed ZF auto available from launch, with a manual. Happy days.

The engine? We know it well, but that doesn’t make an AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, recalibrated by Aston to produce 503bhp and 505lb ft of torque, any less titillating. Claimed performance – 0–62mph in 3.6secs and 195mph flat-out – is nudging supercar country, but then so too is the starting price of £120,900. For £20k more, you can have a Mercedes-AMG GT R.

Fortunately, the Vantage’s chassis game is strong. Double-wishbone suspension at the front and multi-link at the rear is familiar stuff, as are the adjustable dampers all-round as standard and torque-vectoring by braking. But this is the first Aston to feature a new e-diff that trumps a purely mechanical LSD, Aston says, by going from fully open to 100 per cent locked in a just a few milliseconds.

There’s also new bespoke Pirelli P Zeros, and three driving modes: Sport, Sport Plus and Track, that gradually ramp up the damping, throttle response, e-diff, torque-vectoring, steering weight (electromechanical, 2.4 turns lock to lock) and racket from the exhausts, while slackening off the stability control.

There is much technology at work, then, but this is also the first Aston to be completely set up by their ex-Lotus ride and handling chief, Matt Becker… and it’s his kind of car. The DB11 he tidied up, filed the edges; here, he was given carte blanche and a dream package to work with. Matt, we’re expecting big things.

But driving it is for another day. Now, I’m tracing Reichman’s steps as he stalks his way around the car, index finger on chin, as if he’s still finding new and exciting angles on his work. “This project was really like taking a racecar onto the road, so we needed a different language. It’s purer, it’s more elemental.”

Starting from the front – the nose has Bond’s DB10 written all over it; the lights are small and aggressive with a front splitter below smuggling smooth air under the car. The front flanks are defined by ‘side gills’ riddled with bullet holes, while the back wheels are stretched to the rearmost corners where they punch through the car’s skin.

Right around the back, you’ll find the real drama, with a full-width light strip, uncapped exhausts sticking out like sawn-off shotguns and a proper functioning diffuser. There’s nothing active here. No flaps or air curtains, just a flat underfloor and a ducktail spoiler, more for stability than big downforce – that’ll come later with the hardcore AMR editions.

Normally, we prefer to leave the design decisions to your eyes (who are we to tell you what does and doesn’t look good?), but on this occasion, I’ll allow myself an opinion… it’s taut, exciting and exotic in a way a 911 doesn’t want to be and an F-Type can’t be. With one caveat – like the DB11 it’s very spec dependent. This car is an all-screaming, all-raving version with carbon roof, carbon sills and carbon diffuser, and it’s the one to go for. If you want subdued, go for the DB11, although we’ll understand if you want to tone down the paint.

Inside, you can see the bits borrowed from Merc (screen, pointless mouse-style touchpad), but the good news is it’s a complete rethink from the DB11. Feeling fruity? You can have your centre console caked in body-coloured bits, or carbon or piano black if you’re feeling less shouty.

Gone are the DB11’s haptic feedback surfaces, replaced with physical buttons because “given the more frenetic driving experience, you want an actual click to tell you a button’s been pressed,” says Reichman. The paddles have grown for the same reason. There’s a bit of a boot, too – 350 litres, to be precise… more than double what you get in a 911’s nose, but then that has back seats for your overflow.

Will there be a V12 version? We hope so, but Reichman wouldn’t confirm, preferring to stir the speculation pot by reminding us that the engine bay is shared with the DB11. So we know it’ll fit and why go to the bother of developing a new twin-turbo V12 if you’re not going to spread the costs? Besides, knowing CEO Andy Palmer, the idea of a V12 hot rod will be too tempting to resist.

But will it be the Vantage or the DB11 at the heart of this born-again company? It’s a question that leaves Reichman a bit stumped… “I think, maybe this does define our core more than a DB11. If DB11 is about style, this is about developing something you can take racing, and that’s what Aston stands for. When they all line up at Le Mans next year, it will be this next to Porsche, Ferrari, Ford and BMW. We want to win with this car.”

Just as the new V8 Vantage goes into production… Aston builds 14 more old V12s

A matter of weeks into production of the all-new Aston Martin Vantage – the AMG powered turbocharged one – and Aston Martin is building 14 more old Vantages. It’s called the V600 – a name previously worn by the monstrous, twin-supercharged 600bhp Vantage of the 1990s – and it’s the last glorious huzzah for the outgoing baby Aston.

Aston Martin’s bespoke division, Q, will produce seven coupes and seven roadster V12 Vantage V600s. All are equipped with the naturally aspirated 5.9-litre, 592bhp V12 which will live on in the Rapide and Vanquish S for a little while longer. Aston has seen fit to keep the V600’s spec as old-school as possible, so the only transmission option for this customer-specified limited run is the seven-speed manual gearbox.

If you’ve noticed the V600 looks more macho than the old Vantage, well spotted. There’s an all-new carbon diffuser (which doesn’t come cheaply on such a limited run of cars), a unique widemouth grille, new side strakes and a holepunch-vented bonnet similar to Daniel Craig’s DB10 from the 007 movie Spectre.

Aston Martin says the two seat cockpit is a study in the beauty of carbon fibre and dark anodised aluminium. Only fans of monochrome need apply. The main console is entirely cloaked in carbon, the gear lever is milled from solid aluminium, and the leather hides have a new, bespoke pattern of stitch. Any colour you like, et cetera…

Now, here’s the part where we tell you all 14 examples are sold out, and have been before the car was even seen, or thought of. Except… it isn’t. Aston Martin hasn’t disclosed a price – which will be north of the standard car’s £140,000 sticker – but we’re told the V600 is available on request and will be delivered in autumn of this year. So, get your orders in for the new old Vantage that’s not new but is newer than the old one, er, now.